Varieties of electronic diver devices that are used for assisting divers underwater are well known in the art. Such devices, among others, include:                a. a diver computer which typically comprises at least one sensor, a computing component, and a display. Said sensor may be, for example, a pressure sensor which measures the underwater pressure. The diver computer uses an algorithm to convert the measured pressure to depth, which follows by calculation of the diving time at each depth. Some of the algorithm may also include calculation for the available amount of gas mixture, etc. To summarize, a diver computer, for example, measures, computes, and displays to the diver information during the diving, such as the depth, the amount of breathing gas available, the Nitrogen estimated level of the diver, or other gas mixture, etc.        b. a diver communication device which comprises an ultrasonic transceiver, a micro-controller or the like, and a display, which is used for communicating messages between divers. Such a diver communication device enables the diver to select a textual message from messages storage, to select a destination device and to transmit the selected message to the destination device is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,080.        c. A diver location device, which uses a Doppler frequency shift in order to enable detection of a diver (for example, in a case of distress situation). Such a device is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,272,072. In some cases, said device of U.S. Pat. No. 6,272,072 is combined with the device of U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,080, forming a combined messaging device having location capabilities. Such a combined device (called UDI) is distributed by Underwater Technology Center Ltd. (UTC)—http://www.utc-digital.com.        d. Still another diver device, which combines a diver communication device, a diver computer, and a camera, is disclosed in WO2007/148318.        
All the abovementioned diver devices include some type of a processing unit, at least one sensor and/or acoustic antenna which is in contact with the water, a display, and a waterproof casing. Hereinafter, for the sake of convenience, both sensor and the antenna will be referred to by the term “sensor”, although a receiving/transmitting antenna is not typically referred to as sensor. The inclusion of such computing, displaying, and transmit and receive capabilities within a waterproof diver device is relatively complicated and expensive, as such a device in its entirety is a stand alone device which can be used by the user only underwater and the number of units that can be sold is rather limited to those who are in the field of diving. Therefore, each device can include relatively limited capabilities. For example, due to cost considerations, the display of such a device is typically supplied with a relatively low resolution. Furthermore, the processing capabilities of such devices are relatively limited for the same reasons. Furthermore, the development of dedicated software applications for such devices is also relatively expensive.
On the other hand, the fast development in the last decade of land portable computing devices, such as cellular phones, music players, note books, smart phones, pocket PC, Palm, Internet browsing devices and the like is astonishing. For example, the computing and display capabilities of the Apple's I-Phone, Microsoft Zune, HTC smart phones and the like are astonishing. The inclusion of such high performance and variety of capabilities within diver devices, while still maintaining their price reasonable, is not seen in the near future in view of the development high cost on one hand, and in view of the limited market on the other hand. It should be noted that throughout this application, when reference is made to a cellular phone in the context of the present invention, this is done for the sake of convenience, as any other from the abovementioned portable computing devices can be used.
In another aspect, recently water proof casings for cellular phones, for example, of the I-Phone type, have recently become available in the market (for example a casing model DIVE300 manufactured by H2O Audio Inc.—http://www.h2oaudio.com/waterproof_dive.php). This waterproof casing is made of a rigid, at least partially transparent plastic, which can open for enabling insertion into it of the cellular phone, and closure such that the cellular phone can be taken underwater. This water proof casing also includes external buttons that enable activation of at least several of the cellular phone functions from outside of the casing (i.e., from within the water). The use of such buttons therefore enables activation, while in the water, said at least a portion of the cellular phone functions. In such a manner, and while using such water proof casing, three important applications of the cellular phone that can typically be activated from within the water are the camera, a music player (while using a special earphones) and a game player. However, none of the functions that typically characterize said dedicated diver devices (for example, measurement of the amount of available breathing gas, transmit and receipt of messages underwater, location capabilities, etc.) can yet be performed underwater by said combination of cellular phone and water proof casing.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to significantly enhance the performance of typical diver devices, while maintaining their price reasonable, or even significantly lower than their present price.
It is another object of the invention to enable enhancement of the capabilities of conventional portable computing devices to also include underwater capabilities that are presently performed only by typical diver devices.
It is still another object of the invention to enable said enhancement in a manner that provides overall enhanced capabilities in comparison with typical diver devices, in a reduced overall costs, particularly to those that already possess a portable computing device.
It is still an object of the invention to provide several embodiments that enable various levels of functionalities.
It is still an object of the present invention to enable easy upgrades and maintenance of the apparatuses of the invention, in compare to typical diver devices.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.